All types of alloys have the following general characteristics:
(1) Most alloys have a melting point lower than the melting point of any of the constituent metals of the composition;
(2) The hardness is generally greater than the hardness of any of the components; (Special case: the sodium-potassium alloy is liquid, used for the thermal conductivity agent in the atomic reactor)
(3) The electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity of the alloy are lower than those of any component. With this property of the alloy, high resistance and high thermal resistance materials can be produced. It is also possible to manufacture materials with special properties.
(4) Some have strong corrosion resistance (such as stainless steel), such as 15% chromium and 9% nickel in iron to obtain a corrosion-resistant stainless steel, suitable for chemical industry